Sleeping Lily
by chasingafterstarlight
Summary: One day, a princess with fiery red hair was born. Her birth was a cause for celebration, that is, until she was cursed. Now it's up to one boy and a dreamer prince to save her. - LilyLorcan & James, based on Sleeping Beauty.


_Sleeping Lily_

..

**LilyLorcan & James**

**..**

One enchanted day, a little princess is born.

Her shining golden scarlet hair falls around her pale face, and the kingdom is enchanted. She's the princess that her father, the saviour of the wizarding world, and her mother, his beautiful wife, have both been waiting for.

Except for the fact that she's _not_ actually a princess, just the daughter of a famous wizard, but let's not mention that for now.

The problem is that not everyone is pleased about the arrival of this little princess, namely her two brothers- James and Albus. They stare at the small baby, displeasure evident in their eyes.

"Oh, look, Al," James says in a fakely high voice, typical of a five-year-old. "It's _Mummy's little princess._"

"Jamesie, baby is ugly," Albus says. He's always been one to state the obvious, ever since he started talking less than a year ago.

"Agreed there," James stares with distaste at the small girl. For a moment, his vision blurs. Her fingers and face are wrinkly. The tuft of red hair on her head makes her look more like a troll, in his opinion, and he doesn't get why everyone insists on cooing over her like she's the most beautiful thing ever. In his opinion, babies, namely his little sister, are overrated. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Cuwse her," Albus replies simply.

James can't really tell what Albus is saying. Most of what he says is vaguely unintelligible, and he doubts that Albus would tell him to curse his own sister. But nonetheless, he feels the sudden urge to cast a curse on her.

Despite the fact that he doesn't like the baby much so far, he sees a spark in her brown eyes and realises that he feels vaguely protective of her. So, waving his wand over the baby's crib, he mutters something about how he wants to curse her so she'll never kiss a boy.

It's at that moment that a lady walks in, a scary looking woman. Turning, he recognizes her as an enemy of his mum's, someone who's fought with his mummy before. But she looks happy, so he doesn't question why she's here.

She walks up to him. "Trying to curse your baby sister, are you?"

"No," he replies bashfully, ashamed.

"Leave that to me," she replies, waving her wand over the crib and muttering something under her breath. Terrified, he throws himself at her, pushing her away with all his five-year-old power, but he can't stop her.

He wakes up in a deep sweat.

Still not reassured, he runs to his mum and dad's room, screaming his head off. They put him back to bed, telling him that it was just a dream, but he still sees the wary looks on their faces.

That night, someone breaks in. His dad claims that the hooded figure was muttering something over Lily's crib. They Disarm the person, but the figure escapes before they can fight him or her off. All he hears before the figure goes on his or her way are the phrases "deep sleep", "untrue love", and "sixteenth birthday".

He hears his parents talking about him once, discussing if maybe he's _special _like his father.

When little Lily wakes up, she looks no different- the tufts of red hair and the shiny chocolate eyes still remain. But he sees the subtle change, the way she doesn't cry as much, the way her eyes are almost foreboding, as if they indicate what is to come.

He doesn't know what, but he knows that it won't be pretty.

.

Lily Luna grows up, just like every other little girl. Her hair lengthens, her legs grow longer, and she shoots up like a sunflower.

At times, James feels guilty, even though he hadn't been the one to curse her. But she seems _healthy_ and _happy_, so he never mentions what happened to her. No one does. She stays an oblivious little girl, oblivious to the fact that she's been _cursed_.

She plays in the backyard with little Lorcan Scamander, the kid with the brown curls and dreams of Nargles, and James watches. She seems happy with him, almost, and they're _best_ friends (except when they're not).

Once, when Lily is five and James is ten, he's forced to babysit her and Lorcan, who is actually seven but helps with Lily more than he really does. They're sitting there, babbling away in some childish language that he doesn't bother to understand as he practises hitting a Muggle tennis ball with a racket, when their conversation suddenly rises to the front of his attention.

"Lily, there are Nargles caught in your hair," Lorcan laughs. His tiny, chubby hand reaches out, brushing a piece of her shiny hair behind her ear. James' first urge is to get up and tackle this _Scamander_ kid to the ground, but he resists, his hands closing around the ball.

Lily does not seem quite so thrilled either. "Lor, there are no such _things_ as Nargles."

"Yes, there are," Lorcan looks crestfallen. "They get into your head and mess with your mind. They seem to mess with me a lot more whenever I'm around you."

Her eyes widen, and James' urge to beat up this weird child increases all the more. But then she blushes, the rosy colour spreading over her face. Instead of saying something cheesy or romantic, though, like most girls would, she stands up indignantly and informs him, "Nargles don't exist, _Scamander_, so stop pretending that they do. Stop living in a dreamland!"

"I don't live in dreamland," Lorcan whispers, but she stands up angrily and marches away, her red hair blowing in the wind.

He wonders what has gotten into his baby sister before he runs after her, because obviously, his mum and dad won't be happy if they found out his sister ran away.

But no Gryffindor would ever run away, right? And obviously Lily's going to be a Gryffindor…

_Right_?

.

Time passes quickly, and with every birthday of little Lily's, he finds himself dreading the next even more. He heads off to Hogwarts the next year, and he's sorted into Gryffindor, just as he anticipated. But that just makes him feel all the more guilty.

Wouldn't a _Gryffindor_ have enough daring and nerve to tell his father about the curse he believes will fall upon his sister on her sixteenth birthday? Wouldn't a Gryffindor be able to tell the truth?

But he doesn't tell anyone, because he's scared that maybe they won't believe him, that they'll laugh at him and tell him he's just imagining things. So he keeps the information that he knows to himself, not telling any of his family about what he knows.

The cursed girl grows even more each year, and he watches her, feeling as though his family is raising a pig for slaughter. She laughs all the time and plays with Lorcan, but there are times when he sees the cursed girl that lies beneath, the one that screams at Lorcan and acts as if _he's _the curse that was placed upon her, when in fact he's just an innocent little dreamer.

The boy comes to Hogwarts two years after James, a grey-eyed kid that is quickly sorted into Ravenclaw. James quickly becomes fond of him after his twin, Lysander, is Sorted into Gryffindor along with James and it becomes clear in five minutes that the kid is one of the most annoying creatures ever to walk the earth.

Lorcan's insanity pales in comparison.

For two more years after that, Hogwarts is as normal as it gets. The same year as Lorcan, Albus is sorted into Slytherin, which causes a bit of an uproar. But other than that, there is nothing that sparks James' interest. He pulls pranks with Louis and Fred, makes a few friends, plays a few girls, but mainly, he tries to _forget_.

The drama doesn't really start until Lily Luna comes to the school (doesn't it always?).

She struts up to the Sorting Hat with her hair flowing behind her, sitting down confidently on the stool and placing the Hat upon her pretty little head. It takes longer for her than for others, and she smirks as if it's a _good_ thing.

Then the hat cries "_SLYTHERIN_!" and Lily Luna runs off to the Slytherin table, looking like it was her plan all along. Groaning, James buries his head in his hands, thinking that this _must_ be yet another result of the curse. Honestly, he _shouldn't_ have two siblings in Slytherin.

But there she is, a green and silver tie being handed to her, looking as if she's on top of the world. The Hall sits still in shock. Smirking, she takes her seat at the Slytherin table, sending the shocked Lorcan Scamander a coy wink.

James runs his hands through his hair, looking guilty. A girl in his year, Harriet, leans over to him. "Isn't that your sister?"

"Yeah," James scowls, curling up his fist. "Got two snakes for siblings now, great."

"I take offense to that, Potter," the little Malfoy that had been sorted into his house said from down the table. "I have a snake for a brother and he's halfway decent at times."

"Yeah, whatever," James replies, burying his head in his hands once again. Lorcan looks unhappy, but not entirely shocked, causing James to smirk.

But life goes on, even when his sister sits at the Slytherin table because of a curse.

He's sure that has to be why.

.

Interestingly enough, his sister earns the nickname of the 'Slytherin princess' by the end of the year. She prances around in new robes with her hair in waves down her shoulders. She prances around the school, entirely oblivious to what he believes is to come.

But with Lily Luna Potter, the drama never stops. She's definitely _not_ a boring girl.

The day after Scorpius Malfoy breaks up with their cousin Rose Weasley, Lily and James are walking in the hall, having a whispered gossip session as they walk to the Great Hall, both of them trying to figure out what really happened. Then they manage to happen upon Scorpius Malfoy himself.

"Speak of the devil," Lily says in a louder voice. "_Literally_."

James' eyes widen, but he finds himself smirking at his sister's abrasive nature and crossing his arms. "Malfoy."

" Big Potter and Smaller Potter," Scorpius crosses his arms across his chest. "Pleasure to see both of you, as always."

"Why'd you and Rose break up?" Lily demands, not seeming happy with Scorpius at all. "Honestly, you two were almost _cute_ and then this happened." She motions around, as if the world is falling apart around them.

"She got angry with me cause I cheated on her," Scorpius mumbles, and James has the sudden urge to rip him to pieces. Too bad Lily beats him too it.

Taking a step forward, she reaches out and slaps Scorpius Malfoy across his face.

Everyone in the corridor turns to stare, younger and older students alike. Grabbing his sister's arm, James attempts to pull her away, but she won't be moved.

"Look here, Malfoy," she begins, sneering at her fellow Slytherin. That's when Lorcan Scamander breaks through the crowd. Seizing Lily's shoulder, he whispers something in her ear.

James hears something along the lines of, "Leave it, Lils, he's not worth it."

The anger seems to be sucked right out of her as she turns to look at Lorcan. With a smile that looks too bashful to be on Lily's face, she tells him softly, "Give me one more second, Lor, and then let's go swimming or something. I need to get all this pent-up anger out of me." Replacing her scary face, she turns to Scorpius. "Just try playing any of my relatives again and see what happens next time, Malfoy. I don't play."

She turns, hooking her arm through Lorcan's and dashing off. Scorpius just stares after the two before shaking his hand, clutching his cheek, and walking off. James looks from Lily to Scorpius before he shakes his head, going off in the opposite direction.

He wonders absently when Lorcan made his sister become so _soft_.

..

Time passes quickly, and before he knows it, he's graduating. Everything feels so wrong, from the smiles on the faces of those in the crowd to his growing-up sister.

He knows that he can't stay away from the school, not with his sister's birthday almost only three years away. So he decides that he needs to get a job teaching at the school, because that's the only way he can stay there after graduation.

His grades are surely not the best, but he's heard that the school is in desperate need for a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and who better for the job than James Sirius _Potter_? So he shows up with begging eyes and a beautiful smile, and he snags the job within half an hour.

He considers it a success.

The next day, when he comes into 'work', he sees Lily first, sitting in her chair like she's a good student (as if). She flicks a piece of paper to hit the person in front of her, then folds her arms across her chest and leans back in her chair, acting as normal as possible.

She chats with everyone possible, and it _should_ bother him but it doesn't. He's not sure what will happen on her sixteenth birthday, but he knows that it can't be good. So he watches her with wary eyes.

The lesson that day, ironically enough, is on evil curses and those who are able to cast them. He feels his gaze staying on his little sister as he teaches. She's so young, so oblivious of what is coming. He doesn't want to tell her, want to see the smile drop off of her face. Besides, she seems so satisfied to talk to Lorcan and… wait, who's _this_ guy?

He's a Slytherin, in her house, obviously, by the green-and-silver tie. But he seems a lot cockier than Lily, more sure of himself. He leans back in his seat and James has the intense urge to tip him over.

For a while now, James has been able to use wandless magic. So he squints his eyes shut and mutters a curse under his breath. Within five seconds, the boy tips over in his chair.

Most of the room bursts into giggles, including Lily Luna. She smirks at the boy. "All right there, Avery?"

The boy stands up adamantly, running a hand through his hair. "Perfect, Potter."

He catches sight of the glance that they share, and he doesn't like it one bit. Clearing his throat, he tells the boy (whose name, he remembers, is Brayden Avery), "You'd best get back into your seat, Mr. Avery; we have quite a bit of work to do."

Lily gives him a weird look, but he concentrates the majority of his attention on Lorcan, who's observing the class because he aspires to be a professor (not of Defence Against the Dark Arts, but still). The expression of pure fury on his face is one he's all-too-familiar with.

_Jealousy_.

He suddenly feels a flash of pity for the small Scamander. The friend zone is never an easy one.

..

Before he knows it, it's the eve before his sister's sixteenth birthday. He doesn't know how to feel other than absolutely _terrified_. He confronts Lorcan in the hallway because he figures that Lorcan will know.

"What's my sister doing on her birthday?" he asks, his breath coming raggedly.

"Uh…" Lorcan bites his lip, looking around nervously.

"What is she _doing_?" James demands, not looking happy in the least.

"The Slytherins are throwing her a party!" Lorcan yelps, cowering a bit. Then he sighs. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that, but oh well, Ravenclaws… ex-Ravenclaws, in this case… have never been known for their loyalty…"

James relaxes a bit. "Can you get me in?"

"James, you're a teacher…" Lorcan reminds him.

"And you're out of school, and I'm Lily's brother, your point being?" James shoots back.

"I'll try to convince Lily to let you in," Lorcan relents.

Deflating, James just shakes his head. "You have to do more than _try_, Scamander. Lily's in grave danger." And sure, maybe he sounds like the Grim Reaper from those Muggle movies, but it's not like he cares if it protects his sister.

He's always been Gryffindor, very much so.

..

Party music plays all around him. He tries to relax, to tell himself that maybe there was no curse and he was just insanely paranoid. But the thoughts keep bugging at his head, driving him insane with the fact that _something _is going to happen tonight and he has no idea what.

Everyone is so happy, so naïve, so _innocent_. They're clueless to the fact that something bad is going to go down.

He weaves his way through the crowd to Lorcan. "Thanks for getting me in."

"Anything for Lily," Lorcan says quietly. Looking up at James, he explains, "Lils is with that horrid boy again."

"Avery?" James asks with a smirk. "Horrid child, really."

"I know," Lorcan frowns, glancing around the room. "I'll just go grab Luce for a dance, I suppose. Not really much else I can do."

Giving a nod, James keeps his eyes fixated on Lily. The clock is ticking faster and faster, sounding louder and louder with every passing second, synchronizing itself with the beating of his heart. He sees Lily dancing with the horrible Brayden Avery child, growing closer to him every time he spins her around. Then he draws her close so that their lips are two inches away and it suddenly hits James.

_Untrue love… sixteenth birthday… deep sleep._

"NO!" James roars, tearing through the crowd who probably thinks he's insane. Understanding at once like a typical Ravenclaw, Lorcan follows him.

But it's far too late. Lily's lips touch Brayden's softly.

Time stops.

All he can see is himself running slowly through the crowd, screaming. The sound of the music pulses in his ears. He sees them kissing and knows that he cannot prevent what will happen next.

Time resumes.

Before he can get to her, Lily collapses onto the ground, her eyes closing as she does so. He runs over to her, scooping her up in his strong arms. Lorcan stares at her, running his hand through her mangled mess of curls.

"You were right," Lorcan whispers.

"The heck?" Brayden Avery interrupts rudely. "Am I such a good kisser that I made your sister _faint_? I knew it."

"Stay away from her, Avery," James says, and Lorcan reinforces this with a strong left hook to the face (and James wonders absently how such a nerdy dreamer could be so strong).

The two of them run out, Lily still fast asleep against James' chest. They go to the new nurse's office, Madam Thompson's, and she looks over Lily. Looking miffed, she tells them, "I've never seen anything quite like this."

"It's a curse," James tells her urgently. "An evil curse, because she kissed this guy who's not her true love and this lady broke into our house when she was a baby and cursed her for life-"

"Are you sure, Professor Potter?" Madam Thompson replies, the edges of her lips tugging up into a smile as if she's entertained by this notion. "Because I've never heard of anything like this happening before, it seems vaguely _impossible_, to be honest-"

"Trust me," James interrupts her boldly. "With Lily Luna, anything is possible."

The three of them stare at her. She lies on the bed, her red hair splayed about her face, looking peaceful in sleep.

"She's definitely asleep," Madam Thompson tells them. "I just don't know how to get her out of it."

..

He's bent over the book, trying to find a solution. Multiple books are scattered all over his desk, papers strewn all over the floor, and he has the distinct urge to vomit. Usually, he shies far away from research or any sort of book. Normally, he would not even _bother_. But this time, it's different. This time it's his little sister's _life_ at stake and honestly, people can go jump off a bridge if they think he's abandoning her.

A soft tap on the door alerts him to the fact that Lorcan is standing in the doorway. Looking up, he asks, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Lily," Lorcan explains, "but they won't let me in unless I come with a Professor because you know, I don't go here anymore."

"I'll go," James agrees reluctantly, setting down his quill.

They walk in complete silence to the infirmary. He watches as Lorcan bends down beside his sister, and he thinks that perhaps Scamander is almost worthy of his little sister. _Maybe_.

Madam Thompson just shakes her head, indicating that she has no idea of any solutions, that there are _no_ new developments. It's the same every time.

He doesn't want to see this anymore. He doesn't like seeing his little sister so asleep that she could be dead, lifeless on a bed. It's almost as if she's been Petrified, but no Mandrakes can save her now.

Sighing, Lorcan bends down, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Her hand stirs.

James and Lorcan exchange a shocked glance. Quietly, Lorcan asks, "Lily? Lils, can you hear me? Move if you can."

Her hand stirs again, a little more this time.

"Can you move the rest of your body? Shake your hand if you can," James jumps in.

Nothing moves, and he takes that as a sign that he can't. Eagerly, he turns to Lorcan. "Look, I know this is going to sound like some Disney movie… well, strange, but I think your lips are helping. So, uh, maybe if you kissed her on the lips, she'd awaken from her sleep? You know, true love's kiss and all?"

Lorcan's jaw drops. Raising an eyebrow, he replies, "Little weird, but, if we have no other options…"

Both James and Madam Thompson say, "THERE ARE NO OTHER OPTIONS," in unison, so, with an audience of two, Lorcan leans down and kisses Lily on the lips. James can sense the pure joy on his face, but like a gentleman, he forces himself to pull away.

(And maybe he is good for little Lily after all.)

At first, it seems as if nothing is going to happen. But then, after a moment, Lily's brown eyes flutter open. With a grin, she demands, "Kiss me again."

He complies, nearly pulling her out of the bed, and James realizes with a start how very awkward this situation is but he's so happy to see that Lily's fine that he doesn't care.

Once he pulls away, the two of them stare at each other for a second, and then Lily turns to James with a smile. As if she has no idea, she asks, "What _happened,_ James? You're a Professor; you should know…"

"Evil curse, Lils," James smirks a little, crossing his arms. "But you know, evil curses can always be broken by true love's first kiss."

They both laugh awkwardly, blushing a little. James claps Lorcan on the back and gives him the typical big brother speech- 'you'd better not hurt my baby sister or I'll come after you'- but he thinks that this disguised prince has pretty much proven himself worthy already.

"Guess the Nargles have gotten into my head, eh, Lorcan?" Lily teases with a smile that lights up her face.

"Guess so, Lils," he replies, and he kisses her again, ignoring the fact that James is standing right there. James just smirks, crossing his arms across his chest, and makes a beeline for the doorway, not wanting to see the contradictory couple making out.

Before he leaves, he tells them simply (with a wink), "Don't do anything I wouldn't do- if that helps at all," and walks out the door.

He thinks that maybe his princess of a sister has finally gotten her prince.

..

A few years later, he comes to their wedding, smiling as he walks down the aisle.

(They let him be the best man.)

..

**A/N: For the Fairytale Challenge by Listen and Bri. Apologies, it was a bit rushed ;) Also dedicated to those two because I love them and they sort of gave me inspiration and uh, I feel bad for this fic. It was loosely based on Sleeping Beauty, for the record.**

**Please read and review, and don't favourite without reviewing **


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